I first saw Sebastian live with Skid Row in 1990 at Festival Hall in Melbourne. That show for me is one of my gig highlights. I finally got to see Sebastian and co live. The energy that hit you coming from the stage was huge. Funnily enough it was also the first time we got a taste of what was to come from the “Slave To The Grind” album as they played a just written ‘Get The F*ck Out’ for only the second time. That song was the perfect gateway from the snotty ‘Piece Of Me’ that came from the debut to bridge into what would be the heavier “Slave To The Grind” evolution that was still 15 months away.
There are records that become a part of you. Slave To The grind for me is one of those albums for me. It was with this record that I went from being a fan to a super fan. I recall hearing ‘Monkey Business’ for the first time, that slow bluesy, gritty riff with a low register sultry Sebastian vocal and not knowing what to make of it. That was until that iconic scream that kicks you in the ass. My jaw dropped and the world changed. “Slave To The Grind” is one of those go to records for me that whenever I need a pickup, it a musical hit that just flows through my veins. I can’t explain it, it’s just one of those records, consistent from top to bottom and show a far harder side to the band. Bach pushing boundaries again with his vocal performance. It’s rare to call an album perfect top to bottom and the version with “Get The F*ck Out” is about as close to perfection as it comes. All the performances are simply incredible. Bach’s is exceptional.
Tonight is a one-off show on this tour for Melbourne only, it’s the “Slave To The Grind” album in full and I have to say I’m a little pumped to hear it live and in full.
Hometown legends Dead City Ruin have the exclusive support slot and are the perfect fit for Bach. They share that same energy and toe to toe DCR frontman Steve Welsh stacks up well. Bach is clearly an influence on his vocal style and performance. The band musically deliver the same energy as Bach’s former band in their prime.
I have lost count of the number of times I have seen this band and their usual half hour of power set got a bit of an extension to forty-five minutes and in that they absolutely fired up the room for Bach.
Opening with the brilliant ‘Til Death’ the band started a forty-five-minute assault on the senses. Seeing these guys do their thing on the big stage again is amazing. This is where they belong. Armed with nothing but a set of songs that made the Forum tremble with their power.
What makes Dead City Ruins one of my favourite bands is the way they present themselves, they are the five fingers of power that come together and become a fist that simply crushes you.
Packing as much as they can into this forty-five-minute firestorm of harmony guitar parts, searing solos and thunderous bass and hard-hitting drumming you could tell that the band simply fed off tonight’s energy within the audience bouncing in the palm of their hands.
A rock show for me must have a few things. Power – Check. Anthems – Check. Big Guitars – Check. Crowd engagement and participation – Check. Killer Vocals – Check. Choruses that stick in your head – Check. Performance and Swagger – Check. They ticked all the boxes.
Murphy and Trajanovski are so tight and so driving they really are a magical rhythm section. Locked in and driving. Welsh as a frontman is perfect and his vocal performance is effortless and flawless, a master of rock n roll ceremonies. The dual guitars of Nick Casalini and Sean Blanch are sublime, harmonies and face melting solos just fed the fire that would become an inferno by the time the final notes of ‘Preacher’ rang out.
Pairing this with what we would see and feel in Bach’s set it was the perfect warm up workout for everyone. While I have seen Dead City Ruins more than about any band over the last decade, I am still blown away by how they are able to level up each time I see them. The way these guys deliver a show is nothing short of fun.
It is undeniable that Dead City Ruins captured everyone in that room with their killer brand of rock n roll. If there is ever a band that can warm up a crowd, make you chant along and throw your fist in the air it is these guys. If you didn’t know who Dead City Ruins were before this show, I’m sure you do now. They are back again to warm you all up on Thursday so make sure you get there early.
Setlist : Til Death, Broken Bones, Vision, This Side Of The Dirt, Bones, Dog on A Leash, Happenzella, Preacher
Dead Ciy Ruins Gallery
I haven’t seen Bach live since 2017 at Stone Fest when he came out with supergroup Kings Of Chaos in Sydney. Before that it was the Use Your Illusions tour with Guns N Roses at Calder Park where Bach was in his prime and that tour with Guns N Roses saw them wipe the floor with their headliner. That voice, that presence, that energy was everything i had anticipated and so much more. It’s been a while since shows, thirty-three to be exact. I have brought all of his solo stuff since and 2024’s “Child Within The Man” was such a great rock record that tips its hat to his career and expands on it some more. I had hoped for a tour behind that but getting these shows celebrating the Debut and Slave are such a gift.
From the moment Bach hit the stage you know there was intent, purpose and need to kick each and every ass in The Forum tonight. Headbanging, charisma, microphone swings and that voice just had The Forum in the palm of his hand. We all held on tight as Bach was making sure, we were rowdy, ready and in fine form.
‘What Do I Got To Lose’ opened the set and the song itself sounded great and felt like it was one of the classic tunes that we were all celebrating tonight. Having said that when the opening riff of ‘Slave To The Grind’ pummelled you the crowd just went absolutely nuts. Standing in the photo pit you could feel the energy and excitement sandwich you. I haven’t felt anything like it before, simply surreal.
Bach’s band mates were mirroring his energy to tearing pages out of the rockstar bible like there was no tomorrow.
By the time we got to one of my favourite songs from the “Slave To The Grind” album ‘The Threat’ my smile was so wide, the lyrics flowing from my mouth as I captured some incredible moments.
Coming into this show I wondered how well those original dual guitar parts would be recreated, covered and filled. I have to say young gun guitarist Brodie DeRozie nailed his parts and did it with ease. I’m still a little gobsmacked by how full his parts sounded. Bassist Clay Eubank has so much cool in the way he delivers his bass lines and how he complimented Bach’s voice.
The clever part of the way things have been done here is that Eubank’s voice works so well with Bach’s. At times Eubank traded lines with Bach, filling choruses and verses as needed and this worked so damn well. There were moments where you couldn’t pick between the voices. This is the trump card Bach has live. The addition of Bach’s son Paris behind the kit is great too, the youth in the band deliver songs these songs so well, Paris wasn’t even a thought when these albums were made. Now let that sink in. The other moment that Wally stuck was Back referencing the backdrop, the original painting the was done for the “Slave” album by Bach’s dad, as Bach said Grandfather, Father and son all on the one stage. Just amazing.
Delivering twenty-two songs over two hours Bach is still in fine form, as he said jokingly the lungs are still good, the eyes not so much.
The covers thrown into the set are incredible tributes to influences and friends. His spoken tributes to the great we have lost was one from the heart.
Never in my life did I think I would hear all twelve songs from the “Slave To The Grind” album in one show along with at almost half of the debut and three songs from the “Child Within The Man” album.
The Forum tonight was rocked to its very foundation. Out’s incredible taking in the love for these songs as it seemed everyone in attendance knew these songs by heart. Much like me it was impossible not to sing along and immerse yourself in it all.
The emotion on Bach’s face tonight was mirrored by the whole theatre. There was one stage where Bach simply took us all in, our voices, our chaos, our love for what it all meant to us, he looked speechless. Tonight, there was no outside world for two hours. It was all there in the moment. Nothing mattered and the love in that theatre tonight was immense. This is the beauty of great rock n roll music. It evokes emotions, whether they be tears of joy, tears of connection or tears of memory there were a few shed tonight. The smiles and the voices were the real magic the emotional connection shared tonight, I have not seen or felt anything like it.
At fifty-seven years of age Bach truly is still the Child within the man and a Youth Gone Wild at heart. He embodies the spirit of rock n roll, wears it on his sleeve and with pride. Knowing he has another generation of rock stars sharing the stage with him is so refreshing and reassuring too. Bach takes pride in not relying on any form of technology, no teleprompter, no tracks or offstage musicians it is all 100% live. Was it perfect throughout, not at all but there is a rare genuine, raw spirit to this performance. If you went looking for flaws you were here for the wrong reasons, if you embraced the full energy of the show you couldn’t fault it, I couldn’t and I won’t.
For me hearing my favourite songs from “Slave To The Grind” was sublime, the tracks that weren’t single but should have been. ‘Mudkicker’, ‘Living On A Chain Gang’, ‘Creepshow’, ‘Riot Act’ and ‘The Threat’ holy hell!!! Then you have the more tender moments of ‘ain A Darkened Room’, ‘Quicksand Jesus’ and ‘Wasted Time’ that just spill over with emotion.
Realising there was a curfew tonight Bach wasted no time in kicking out asses with a trifecta of energy . ‘Youth Gone Wild’, Rose Tattoo’s ‘We Can’t Be Beaten’ and the ultimate show closer ‘Get The F*ck Out’ we were left without voices, physically spent and the happiest we have ever been. Taking to scrunch up setlists and throw them to fans was a perfect touch. It is obvious that Bach and Melbourne have a very special connection one that stared thirty-five years ago. One that will continue for years to come.
As Bach said this is the only time this year that some of these so ga would be played live. Next year is the actual 35th Anniversary of “Slave To The Grind” and if we are lucky enough, I think we might just get this again along with a 30th Anniversary celebration of “Subhuman Race”.
If you were at the show, this one will stay with you for a long time, if you weren’t then the tales from this show will live on through those that were here. It was just that special.
I can’t wait for the Thursday night show here in Melbourne again this time it’s the debut in full along with a choice selection of career highlights and I wonder what surprises we might just get. Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane be prepared to have the time of your life at these shows.
Setlist : What Do I Got To Lose, Slave To The Grind, The Threat, Big Guns, Riot Act, 18 & Life, Shock Me, Quicksand Jesus, Psycho Love, Beggars Day, Freedom, Livin’ On A Chain Gang, Future, In A Darkened Room, Creepshow, Mudkicker, Wasted Time, Monkey Business with I Don’t Know, I Remember You, Youth Gone Wild, We Can’t Be Beaten, Get The F*ck Out.
Sebastian Bach Gallery
With thanks to John Howarth & Metropolis Touring for the media Accreditation
All image credits Shot by Slaidins Photography
